2020-01 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/18/2020
A touching group of three war-date, ink inscribed letters, totaling 8pp. on various size letter sheets, searching for the grave of Pvt. William T. Tweedy, Co. G, 4th Georgia Infantry who was mortally wounded during the battle of Antietam. Tweedy's regiment, as part of Ripley's Brigade, desperately fought against overwhelming Union odds in the Cornfield, and along the Hagerstown Turnpike. The first letter is by Tweedy's brother in law addressed to his cousin Rev. Charles Hall who was the recto of the Church of the Epiphany, Washington, "Augusta, Ga., Nov. 12, 1862", reading, in small part: "By the return of Dr. Philpot of the 4th Georgia Regt. from Sharpsburg, M.D. I have word that my Brother in law...died on Sept. 21, 62 of a wound in the bowels at the hospital in Sharpsburg...his name is William T. Tweedy 4 Geo. Regt., Co. G. My wish...is that you will be so kind as to visit Sharpsburg. Where the bodies of men are buried...find his grave and have a stone placed to mark it. So that his mother and family may...find it...he was the youngest son...and...a noble boy...any expense...I will pay freely...a plane stone merely to mark the place 'Wm. T. Tweedy 4 Geo. Regt Died Sept. 21, 62' is sufficient...he will be moved when Peace dawns on us again (his nurse was C. Saylor)...". In turn Hall forwarded this letter to noted theologian John Barrett Ker foot, headmaster of St. James Collage at Hagerstown, MD. After a period of time searching Ker foot responded with these two letters reading, in part: "...[Dec. 18, 1862]...I had an early opportunity put your letter to Rev. W. Shufford of Sharpsburg, Md. Inquiring as to the grave sought for. Into good sufficient hands. Dr. Vanderkieft (Surgeon in charge of the [?] Hospital, near Sharpsburg) came here last Sunday. He said he could write the mother with his own answer. I shall hear soon & write...I will gladly aid you & even see to the purchase & placement of the stone...alas! For the poor children & the poor Africans! We must keep up faith & duty under trail…[Mar. 3, 63]...I cannot get any trace of the grave of the deceased… my delay in writing has been…[due] to the delay of responses. One of my students has his home on Sharpsburg. He examined all the burying grounds but two. His brother has since searched one of those two, Dr. Philpot's Hospital ground. No such name is found on any of those graves. The other ground will be examined & if I hear anything you shall have it. Perhaps you could get more minute directions from Dr. P-, was the grave marked?...was the body interned...I fear the chance of a successful search is not great…". The story makes one wonder whether the grave of this heroic Confederate was ever located. Further of further research. Some toning, else very good.
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